Preparing your cat for travel overseas will make the whole process go much smoother!
Air travel can be a stressful experience even for some humans. Sometimes the journey is scarier for the owner that has to worry about the possible emotions and stress the cat is going through. Good preparation can ensure that both you and your cat travel in worriless comfort. We will help you with a few pointers to help you prepare your cat for an international travel journey. If you need any assistance regarding cat preparation you can contact us.
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The container
The container your pet travels in has to be approved by IATA. The container should be big enough and suitable to your cat’s breed size and weight.
We recommend you Purchase your cat’s kennel a few weeks before your planned flight. It can be very beneficial to have the cage at hom for your cat to get used to. If you need any help on choosing or purchasing a kennel we will gladly assist you.
How to adjust your cat to the kennel
Place the kennel in your house where your cat will have direct access to it. You need to leave the door open so that he/she can enter and leave the kennel at will. Make the kennel as welcoming as possible, put their bed inside and get them to fetch a toy or treats from inside, you can start feeding them inside the cage so they start to associate the cage with good things. Although most cats never like being closed in a cage knowing that the cage is a safe place where good things happen can make a big difference to how your cat will react on the day of departure. The container will take on the smell of your cat after a few days and will become a comfortable environment for your cat.
For the trip
Place a piece of clothing that carries both you and your cat’s scent into the kennel. The familiar scent can be very comforting. We recommend that you remove any collars as this could cause injury to your cat during the flight. We can send the collar on top of the cage if you would like
Preparing for departure
Only a certified pet transport agency is allowed to book your pets flight, you are however more than welcome to accompany them to cargo facility for the check in of your pet. You may not escort your cat onto the aircraft. Your cat will board the aircraft in a separate cargo facility that is located away from the passenger check in site.
We do not recommend sedation as sedation reduces the heart rate and breathing of your cat and when flying at alitidue there is less oxygen which can be a risk to your pets health. Also pets who wake up of no recollection of how they got to where they are can start to panic far more than a pet who has been consciously aware of what has been happening.
Using homeopathic remedies around the home leading up to and on the day of departure can be a really good way of helping your pet. We offer complimentry homeopathic remedies to all pets. Feliway in particular is very good for nervous cats.
We will gladly discuss the boarding process with you.
Conclusion
Going on an international flight might be a very scary and unnerving experience for both you and your cat. If you however take the time to help your cat adjust to his/her kennel and provide him/her with a sense of security in and around the kennel the flight and boarding should go down without a problem.
